Thursday, July 28th, 2011
Robert Lytle
The Rev. Robert Newton Lytle, 93, died July 26, 2011, at Otterbein St. Marys Retirement Living Community.
He was born Dec. 26, 1917, in Angelica, N.Y., to Arthur J. and Florence F. Lytle. On Aug. 8, 1941, he married Louise E. Dietrich, who died Nov. 24, 2009.
Surviving are his children, Wesley (Rebecca) Lytle, Celina, Bernard (Kathy) Lytle, Big Flats, N.Y., and Jule (Kerry) Kind, Noblesville, Ind.; seven grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.
Deceased are an infant son, Bruce Wayne Lytle, and two sisters, Mary Woodard and Florence Bence.
He was a 1935 graduate of Waverly High School in New York, received a bachelor's degree in religion from Houghton College in 1939 and completed post-graduate studies in agriculture at Alfred University.
He was ordained in the Wesleyan Methodist Church in 1941 and pastored in several New York churches. In 1945, he was a missionary in Medellin, Colombia, until 1959 when he accepted an administrative position in the General Department of World Missions of the Wesleyan Church. In 1972, he was elected CEO of the Wesleyan World Missions by General Conference and continued in that position until his retirement in 1984. In 2004, he and his wife moved into Colonial Oaks Retirement Center, Marion, Ind.
His many honors and positions include member of the administrative board of the Wesleyan, member of Houghton College Board of Trustees, an honorary doctorate of divinity degree by Asbury Theological Seminary, the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Houghton College and president of the board of directors of the Wesleyan Bible Conference Association, Brooksville.
He was a member of the College Wesleyan Church, Marion.
Service is 11 a.m. Monday at the church, the Rev. Stephen DeNeff officiating. Burial will be at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Houghton, N.Y., at 11 a.m. Aug. 6, the Rev. Bern Lytle officiating.
Calling is 2-6 p.m. Sunday at Neddham-Storey-Wampner Funeral Service, Marion, Ind., and 9:30-10:45 a.m. Monday at the church.
Memorials may be made through a fund at Global Partners of the Wesleyan Church, Box 50434, Indianapolis, IN 46250.
Condolences may be left at nswcares.com.
